Hyundai's women buyer percentage surges to 11 percent in 2023, fortified by Deepika Padukone partnership

Hyundai Motor India has launched a new 360-degree campaign for the 2024 iteration of its Creta SUV with long-time ambassador Shah Rukh Khan. However, this time the company has added Deepika Padukone to its rolls as well, a move that aligns with its long-term strategy of targeting women drivers and car owners.

In an interaction with Storyboard 18, Virat Khullar, AVP and vertical head, marketing, Hyundai Motor India, spoke about the evolving role of women buyers in the auto space, new marketing trends, ad expenditure for 2024 and the new campaign itself. Edited excerpts:

Why Deepika Padukone? How important was it for the brand to get a woman on board?

Creta is a cornerstone model for Hyundai, contributing to over 20 percent of our sales. In preparation for the January launch, we strategised for a Bollywood-centric approach due to the resurgence of interest in movies. Shah Rukh Khan, our brand ambassador, has been instrumental, unveiling our 2020 model. Seeking a new disrupter for the campaign, we explored collaborations with other celebrities, shortlisting Deepika Padukone.

Over the past one and a half years, we've embraced women celebrities, including five women cricketers, reflecting our belief that both genders play a crucial role in all purchases. Although the percentage of female buyers remains around 10 percent, we recognise the significant influence they have in the decision-making process. To strengthen our roster, we sought a global female icon who would not just accompany SRK in the passenger seat but also be behind the wheel. Deepika emerged as the perfect choice. She not only featured in our teasers but took the driver's seat, symbolising our commitment to empowering women in our narrative. The campaign aims to resonate with both genders.

What has been the increase in the end-user women clientele for Hyundai?

We've observed a gradual increase in our women buyer percentage, reaching 11 percent of Hyundai car buyers in 2023. While this represents a modest uptick over the past few years, it's indicative of our ongoing efforts. Additionally, an encouraging 30 percent of our website visitors are women.

Unfortunately, we currently lack specific data on the proportion of the women who end up driving the cars registered to male owners. However, we recognise the evolving landscape of ownership, estimating that female-driven consumption likely falls between 10 percent and 30 percent.

For long, women have been stereotyped as the ones who’d merely choose the colour of the car or the finish of the seat covers. Do you see any change in that perception?

We are witnessing a significant rise in interest from female customers visiting our showrooms. Gone are the days when discussions revolved solely around colour preferences or vanity mirrors. Today, with women confidently taking the driver's seat, their inquiries extend to topics like power of the turbo engines, connectivity features and others. In response to this shift, we've made a concerted effort to have more women salespersons in our showrooms. This change aligns with the current automotive market, where highly connected and feature-loaded vehicles dominate. It's evident that technical specifications previously predominantly handled by men, are now sought after by women who are not only keen on performance but also deeply interested and well-informed about the various features of a car.

Coming back to your campaign, what media mix are you using to maximise reach and impact?

Given that the Creta is our flagship model, we approached the launch with the intention of creating an impact akin to a movie launch. We initiated an intriguing collaboration with various movie influencers and shows, such as tying up with the likes of 'Viral Bhayanis and Filmygyan of the world, before officially announcing it as a Hyundai campaign.

In late December 2023, we integrated with platforms like BookMyShow and PVR screens to build anticipation before the campaign's official launch in mid-January, coinciding with the car's release on January 16.

The campaign spans TV and digital platforms, with an outdoor presence in over 100 cities. We plan to kickstart radio promotions in February, making it a phased campaign rollout. This campaign marks one of the largest-scale initiatives we've undertaken in the past two years.

What has been the initial reaction to the campaign? Any measurable impact?

In the past two weeks, our website traffic has surged to five times its usual volume. Achieving a 5X increase in web traffic, after Google searches, is a key performance indicator that reflects the significant impact we are making. Moreover, considering the short duration since we initiated the campaign on January 1, with the official launch on the 16th, it's a promising start and speaks to the campaign's early success.

With such high-decibel campaigns in your kitty, what is the kind of boost expected in Hyundai’s advertising expenditure or adex this year?

In the comparison between our adex for calendar year 2024 and 2023, we anticipate a flat trajectory without significant growth. Our strategy revolves around our television properties, aligning with our launch plans. Currently, the upcoming IPL (Indian Premier League) is not in our launch plan, but discussions are ongoing. We have a substantial presence in Q1 due to our launches, followed by a strategic presence later in the year. Hyundai strategically partners with impactful properties in the reality TV and entertainment space. We recently secured a partnership with Filmfare (Awards, which celebrated the best of Bollywood) followed by an association with Bigg Boss (the reality TV show). While we remain optimistic about the market, we are also adopting a cautious wait and watch approach.

EVs or electric vehicles are turning out to be every auto marketer's shiny new toy. What is Hyundai doing to promote its EV offerings?

We have the IONIQ 5 positioned as a premium offering for EVs. In our premium marketing strategy, we have identified it as a standout product of the year. We are actively engaged in premium marketing activations for the vehicle. This approach focuses on digital and experiential activations, particularly in key metropolitan areas. Our goal is to provide consumers with the opportunity to experience the car first-hand. We successfully sold more than 1,000 EVs in 2023.

What are the top auto marketing trends to look out for in 2024?

From a consumption perspective, we anticipate a continued surge in vertical screen engagement, especially in the realm of short-format vertical stream content. In our country, where platforms like Instagram and WhatsApp boast some of the highest daily and monthly actives (active users), we foresee a significant emphasis on WhatsApp messaging. As we move forward, our strategy involves a robust focus on short-format content and a strong presence on SNS (social networking services). Currently, our channels hold the top position in the auto industry in terms of followers, reflecting our commitment to staying at the forefront of digital engagement trends